By Matsyavatara das
I believe that family life, the grihastha asrama, is a theme of universal interest. Some will get married and some will not, some will have children and some will not. But also those who don’t get married and those who have already surpassed this phase of life will greatly benefit by knowing the basic dynamics, the rapport of weights and measures, the values of family life in the Vedic-Vaisnava civilization. In the past so much damage has been done by people—who had no posit
New Vrindaban’s fifth Service Appreciation Ceremony, held on Sunday November 13th, began with some impressive statistics.
The semi-annual ceremony, launched in November 2014, has so far honored 22 individuals for their unique contributions to the development of New Vrindaban. And it has recognized over 700 years of collective service.
Started by ISKCON New Vrindaban and ECO-Vrindaban board members, the ceremony is inspired by Verse 4 of Rupa Goswami’s Nectar of Instruction. The six loving excha
Austerity in itself is not a limb of bhakti. Bhakti has sixty-four limbs; this means that there are sixty-four types of activities which give us bhakti but austerity is not amongst them.
However, austerity is glorified in the scripture that by performing sacrifice, by giving in charity and by engaging in austerity even saintly men are being purified. So in this sense, austerity is held in high esteem in the scripture. It is also said, nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke, kastan kaman arhate vid-bhuja
Two copies of the Hindi edition of Watering the Seed just arrived from India, and we offered them to our deity of Srila Prabhupada here in Carpinteria. The volume appears very nice, and I am indebted to Radha Charan, Charan Renu, Dhananjaya Krishna, Radha Priya, Hari Priya, and all the other friends and devotees who worked to bring the project to fruition. And I must also acknowledge Kalachandji, Visakha Priya, Varsabhanavi, Nikunja Vilasini, Mayapriya, and all the others who helped with th
The Global Office for ISKCON 50 has released a 50th anniversary overlay that can be used over your profile picture on Facebook. The overlay was developed by a team in India led by Advaita Das and Toshan Nimai Das to conclude the 50th anniversary with a high note on social media.
“We have seen several successful social media campaigns such as Digital India and the Paris solidarity movement after the bombings when people overlaid their profile pictures with a flag,” explained Toshan Nimai Das. “
In a sea of inspiring memoirs by ISKCON devotees about Srila Prabhupada and coming to Krishna consciousness, Visakha Dasi’s new book is unique because it’s aimed not internally but at a broad mainstream audience.
“The book starts where I started, which was entirely materialistic life, and then goes gradually through the experiences and thoughts that I went through, with the hope that readers will come with me each step of the way,” she says. “Then, even if they don’t agree with my conclusion,
“The Time of the Sages,” a documentary film currently in production, will aim to bring the same kind of worldwide recognition to the Srimad-Bhagavatam as is awarded to the Bhagavad-gita.
The hour-long film will follow scholar Krishna Kshetra Swami (Dr. Kenneth Valpey), a research fellow at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, as he interviews fellow academics and visits key places in India relevant to the Bhagavatam.
“The Bhagavad-gita has become quite widely known – since it was first translat
Every year, prominent people take part in ISKCON Hungary’s annual Divali dinner. This year, as usual, government officials, public personalities, sponsors, decision-makers, artists, representatives of other religions, university professors, scientists and others from the fields of politics and media all enjoyed the Hungarian devotees’ hospitality.
The main theme of the event was the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of ISKCON, which was showcased by an onsite exhibition and a stage program,
As an offering for ISKCON 50 and for the pleasure of Guru & Gauranga, teachers of NICE (Narasimha Institute for Children’s Education) decided to conduct ‘Srila Prabhupada Book Review Contest’ in the schools as an interschool competition. The main aim of this contest was to introduce Srila Prabhupada to as many students as possible.
Execution: The teachers of NICE approached 90 schools for this project. We presented this project to the Principal of the school with a file containing a letter, a
Although anger sometimes has a positive use in motivating us to act or to fight for a righteous cause (like Arjuna and Hanuman) and give protection to the oppressed, anger is an energy that is usually criticized since it frequently has negative consequences. We are urged in Bhagavad Gita to control our anger, lest it get out of control and cause us to act in ways we may later regret. In the Bhagavatam there is the account of Dhruva Maharaja's anger. After he became king when his brother was kil
In this verse, we are reading about how the living entity in the embodied state is interacting with the material energy. Through the material senses, the living entity is experiencing material “rasa”. This is really the purpose of our material existence, to try and taste “rasa” because the soul by nature is meant to relish or taste varieties of “rasa”.
Now this tendency for “rasa” has become perverted and thus in the material world, we are interacting with the material energy trying to squeeze
So how sincere are we really!? We should not so easily accept that we are sincere but rather we should see that we fall short and that we need to deepen our sincerity, in other words, increase our commitment as sincerity is measured in the commitment that we make; the commitment that we make in sadhana and in service.
Our Krsna consciousness is measured in what sacrifices are we ready to make for Krsna. We must make some sacrifice, not in the mode of passion, but a sacrifice in the mode of good
Piety has diminished many generations ago. But the mercy of Lord Caitanya that has come into the sinful life of fallen people in a world where everything has gone astray. Sinful activities are covering the globe; this is the reality. Therefore this is not a time when we can just feel good about ourselves. It is not a time where we can stay in our temples where everything is very flowery and sweet. When we are concerned with ourselves only; that will not do. We cannot expect that we will be save
Seven-tongued flame refers to the seven characteristics of Sri Krishna Sankirtana as explained by Srila Bhaktivinod Takur in his Sammodana-bhasya commentary.
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaḿ - cleansing the mirror of the heart
bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaḿ - extinguishing the blazing forest fire of material existence
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaḿ - one receives the benediction of pure devotional service, compared to moonshine spreading the white lily of good fortune
vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam -
Pictured here is our small deity of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, at our ashram in Carpinteria, on his disappearance day, just before we offered him bhoga, pushpanjali, and arati. My spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, said, “Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura came in this world to execute the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So he executed it. And when it was required, he left this place and went to another place to do the same business.” And Srila Prabhupada prayed to his spiritual m
By Giriraj dasa
Recently there was a article on the front page of New York Times as to how scientists now believe that meditation may change our brain! (NYT_article)
Towards the end the article stated that scientists accept that know very little about brain and its mechanisms! So much for modern medical advancement! I am quoting some parts from that article below.
But now, scientists say that meditators like my husband may be benefiting from changes in their brains. The researchers report that
By Chirag Bhatt
ISKCON 50, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in New York City in 1966 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada [1896-1977], was celebrated in Houston over four consecutive days, beginning with a formal gala dinner on Thursday, December 8 at the society’s state-of-the art new temple on West 34th Street. The Houston festivities were part of another major “ISKCON 50” celebration held in the U.S. in 2016, follo
In some confidential conversations with his disciples, Srila Prabhupada indicated that he was sent from the spiritual world to write his books and distribute them worldwide, much in the same way as the Six Goswamis were.
It was Srila Prabhupada’s genius to illustrate his books with fantastic, colorful, and glorious artwork to attract the conditioned souls to read them.
London was considered the capital of the world because of the British Empire, but after World War II, New York City became more
Nara-narayana: When you came to the Western world, no one anywhere believed that it would be successful, I think. But actually it has become very successful, by preaching. Prabhupada: I myself did not believe I shall be successful, [laughs] what to speak of others. But because I did in the proper line, so it has become successful. From Srila Prabhupada’s Morning Walk – December 12, 1973, Los Angeles
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/2GI8Yr
